Few people have heard of it, yet many consider John Blankenbaker's KENBAK-1 to be the first commercial personal computer.
B&H Filmo - The original home movie camera
By James Grahame
The Bell & Howell Model 70A Filmo was released in 1923 at a cost of $180 - almost 2 month's salary. It used 16mm film (Kodak's affordable 8mm standard wasn't introduced until 1932). Like most cameras of the period, the Filmo used a spring-wound mechanism. It captures respectable footage and will run about 35 seconds on a single wind. In fact, the Filmo proved so rugged that it was used as a combat camera in WWII and was ultimately produced in at least ten variations.
The Filmo weighs six pounds without lenses - it's body is mostly steel and magnesium. There is no TTL (through the lens) viewfinder, making image framing and focusing a unique challenge for modern filmmakers. There were also no zoom lenses. To get around this limitation, B&H incorporated a 3-lens rotating turret that let you select different focal lengths as required. Respectable Filmo 70DR bodies cost as little as $300. As an added bonus, the Filmo is compatible with modern 16mm film from Kodak and Fuji, letting you combine new and old.
The Incomparable B&H Filmo 16mm camera (TFG Transfer)
